This is my Rhorkee chair from Chris’s book, Campaign Furniture. I used mahogany for the legs and stretchers. I did not turn the legs, I used a router for the corners and then a shave and rasp for the rounded and tapered parts. They actually came out pretty uniform if I do say so myself! I now have a lathe and would turn the legs, but I like the design elements that resulted on doing it this way. I originally used a stiffer and lighter leather, per Chris’s first set of instructions prior to the book release. This is a thicker and softer leather. I also used a black wax over the oil finish and it really eliminated the harsh red tone of the mahogany. It darkened it up and gave a richer brown tone with black highlights to the grain. The dowels were purchased online and then tapered using Lee Valley’s big pencil sharpener…lol! At least it looks like one, but works great. One for the dowel, another reamer for the hole. Leather was attached with glue and brass rivets. Not hard at all, just have to have the right tools. The chair is actually very comfortable to sit in and after the new leather and black wax, looks great in my humble opinion.

This is the architect’s desk from “The Unplugged Workshop” by Tom Fidgen. I did not make it unplugged though, electrons were used in the crafting of it. I run a blended workshop, so I use both power and hand tools. I did alter the design a bit.

Top is hard maple, three boards glued to get the proper width, just under 24”. Is in edges on all sides with koa I brought back from a vacation on Maui. There is a sliding parallel that is made from a spalted exotic and cocbolo and walnut. A t track on the underside left edge of the top allow me to lock this in place. Walnut was used for the base, with Brazilian walnut for the supports and circular guides. I gave the base several coats of shellac. The top got Tru Oil and several coats of wax.

The chair is my own design. I looked at many chairs and bar stools and took the elements I liked and came up with this design. The back legs have a slight set back and are a continuous piece from the leg to the back support. They are inset in spacing, narrower than the front legs. The front legs are almost to the edges of the seat. The stretchers are doweled as are the legs. The rear of the seat is set into a shallow notch in both the seat and the leg. Danish Oil and wax for the finish.

This is my poker table. My wife and I host several Texas Hold-Em parties each year. 24 people, 3 tables of 8. We did use the cheap table toppers and a poorly built table. So I thought, I am a woodworker, I could make one. Here it is.

Baltic Birch ply for the top and column. Completely covered, or almost completely with mahogany on the base. The top is a combination of mahogany, curly cherry, bubinga in the chip holder and birds eye maple in the alternating chip holders. I found a design online that used pine and ply at a cost of 200-300 dollars. This one has way more than that in hardwoods. Speedcloth for the center.

The most fun was cutting all of the molding with a Stanley 150 Miter box and a Bad Axe miter saw. Then trimmed on a Shooting board. The hand tools worked better and safer than the table saw, and the 22.5 degree angle was easy to do.

Top comes off the base and is secured using 4 oak dowels. This keeps the top from wobbling at all when you put pressure on it.

I am pleased with how it turned out, just need to borrow a truck to get it from my shop to my house. My shop is rented space in the industrial park, a couple of minutes from my house.